The bat hadn't snapped on contact. He had crunched it in the palm of his paw.

Cuddles ducked to the ground as the other grizzly paw swung at her head. Rain weighed down her thick black hair, sticking it to her head. If not for the rain, Jack's paw would've snagged it out of the air.

Red liquid trickled through the brown, wiry fur around his neck from his split lips. Sharp canines snarled at Cuddles, and a map made of tiny red lines patterned Jack's dark eyes. His teeth were nothing compared to the curved hooks at the end of his paws. There wasn't enough light to clearly see them, but Cuddles could already feel the sharp needles slicing through the thin skin on her arms, chest, and face.

Cuddles preferred him in his bear form over his power's halfway shift. If it were just fur and paws, then she could pretend it was facial hair and gloves. But the way his shoulders widened from his growing muscles and jaw grew to fit his massive teeth sent chills down her spine. It was unnatural.

Mud splattered up Cuddles' legs when she hopped backward, falling a few feet to the train tracks. She didn't notice, her entire attention captured by Ruby's sing-song chanting in Belle's voice.

"Scaredy cat. Scaredy cat. Scaredy cat."

"Shut up!" hollered Cuddles over the pouring rain. If looks could kill, Ruby and Jack would've dropped dead, but neither stopped their advance.

Sadistic enjoyment radiated from Ruby's demonic eyes, and a similar, animalistic emotion grew in Jack's. They stepped closer, and Cuddles stepped back. The pounding sound became louder as the rain softened, and Cuddles realized it was the sound of her heart pulsing in her chest. She took another step back. And another. A few more and her foot knocked the concrete wall behind her. Her heartbeat fell silent.

Cuddles didn't dare turn her back to climb the wall. Jack would slice her to shreds before she even reached her second hand up. Or Ruby would let her climb up, let her see the other side, only to release Jack who would pull her back to the ground.

Jack's tall figure stalked toward her, and Cuddles knew her only chance was running. She spun on her toes and kicked off the ground. While he normally ran faster than Cuddles, Jack's power didn't extend to his lower half, causing his gained upper weight to slow him down just enough for Cuddles to stay ahead. That is, if Cuddles had made it more than a few steps before a flash of red sent her to a sliding stop across the wet rubble ground. Her fingers rubbed raw along the rough stone wall for support. Ruby grinned, her maniacal eyes piercing through the hazy rainfall.

Only then did Cuddles notice her lips were no longer moving despite Belle's voice still echoing in her head. Curse her mind tricks, Cuddles thought, but when Ruby's grin widened, she realized she had spoken out loud.

"Don't blame me," she said loud and clear over the thundering rain as if she were speaking inside Cuddles' mind. "You've always been the easiest to mess with."

Cuddles wanted to deny it with a witty retort as she could in front of her siblings, but without them there, she couldn't bring herself to strike back. They were probably gone already. Marshmallow and Ninja, the two cats Cuddles never wanted to meet, were there to help them.

They're safe, Cuddles reassured herself. She wouldn't get back to them. Not with the lightning flashing in the distance, illuminating Ruby's bright red eyes and Jack's inhuman figure on either side of her. But that didn't matter as long as they were safe.

Jack's paw rose in the air, and Cuddles' eyes widened. Ruby's taunt played in her head again.

"Scaredy cat. Scaredy cat. Scaredy cat."

Another bolt of lightning flashed, closer this time. Cuddles watched in slow motion. Rain pelted his form, and his fur flung water droplets over his head. A mix of fury and delight flitted through his eyes, and his lips pulled into a snarl. Curved white points at the end of his paws gleamed in the flash of light.

As the light faded away, his darkening paw flew toward her face. Cuddles couldn't move, couldn't even bring her arms up to take the hit. Her limbs were frozen in place, not even shaking from fear. The world suddenly felt dream-like.

A light pressure pressed her shoulder and then her head, snapping Cuddles back to reality. She didn't have time to think or react, but she immediately recognized that feeling. Panic flooded her veins, and a transparent sky-blue disk about the size of a frisbee appeared before her eyes, tilted toward Jack's incoming paw.

Jack's paw slammed into the disk, producing a spiderweb of cracks where his palm hit and smaller versions at each claw. Darker turquoise blue octagon pixels rippled away from the contact, fading as they reached the edge of the disk. The mixed sound of a lapping stream and soft whispering accompanied the rippling pixels. Jack drew back his paw, and the force field vanished with one last whish.

Cuddles' eyes widened further when she felt another small cat paw set on her head. Although she couldn't look to see the cat sitting on her shoulder, Cuddles recognized her power from anywhere. Awareness kicked into motion paired with her rising panic. She swung around to face Ruby and block her from harming the cat.

But Ruby wasn't there anymore. In place of the redhead stood a grey-haired girl with a striking resemblance to the human form of the cat perched on Cuddles' shoulder, Scone. The grey-haired girl, Marshmallow, faced away toward where Ruby had backed up, but Cuddles couldn't get a good look at the redhead.

Something thumped to the ground beside her, and Cuddles spun to see Belle had slid down the wall beside her. Relief filled her sparkling blue eyes. Cuddles also felt relieved, but guilt swam in her chest. It wasn't the same kind of relief. Belle trusted Cuddles when she said everything would be alright. Cuddles not coming back probably never crossed her mind. She was relieved Cuddles wasn't injured.

Cuddles was relieved she got to see her sister again.

Noises came behind her where Jack had been, but when she swung around, grinding her teeth when Scone latched her claws into her head and shoulder, Cuddles found a similar sight. Only this time, a black-haired girl stood with her back to Cuddles, facing toward the livid bear-human.

Cuddles didn't know what to do or what to say. One moment she was taking her last breath and the next the two people she didn't want to see were saving her. She didn't know whether to curse Aurum, the god of luck and fortune, or thank him.

A fierce growl rumbled from Jack's throat like the thunder in the distance, and he would have sprung towards Ninja if not for Ruby shouting, "Jack!"

He paused, his animal side confused by the familiarity of the name until Ruby shouted again, "Jack, control yourself already!"

Since he hadn't completely given up control this time, Jack fought his power back. His body morphed into human form- fur sinking back into his skin, claws turning into nails, and jaw and shoulders reshaping themselves to normal size. If he had been completely out of control, which Cuddles had the horror to see only once, then even his long-time friend, Ruby, wouldn't have been able to pull him back. But he rarely let his power out of control around friends and Cuddles.

Because I'm his friend? wondered Cuddles sadly, but she immediately reprimanded herself. Was his friend.

"I had a feeling the two of you would get in the way," said Ruby as she cautiously walked backwards across the tracks, never turning her back. "I warned you not to come."

Now back to being fully human, Jack also distanced himself from Cuddles' two new bodyguards. Ninja followed their movements with her eyes and said, "Warnings are guidelines. Nothing less and nothing more."

Ruby pulled her soaked beanie further down her head to cover her ears. The maniacal look in her eyes had been replaced with a cold gleam. Cuddles recognized it from when Moaz first introduced them. When they didn't know one another yet.

Cuddles expected Ruby to snap at Ninja remark which resembled many Cuddles had used to get on Ruby's nerves. The redhead ignored Ninja, her eyes were locked on Cuddles as she backed away into the rainy haze. She spoke in the eerily clear voice Cuddles had grown to despise.

"Goodbye, Cuddles."

The sound of rainfall seemed to disappear as the words reached Cuddles' ears. Her ex companions turned around to step up the short drop. Cuddles didn't dare look away as their silhouettes disappeared into the heavy downpour that had started up again.

Suddenly, an overwhelming wave of relief crashed over her shoulders, weakening her knees. With it came her sense of hearing: the drumming of rain on rubble combined with her own heartbeat, the sound of Scone's soft breathing in her ear, and the shuffling of feet.

A hearty laugh grounded Cuddles. Cuddles tilted her head towards Ninja in search of the source, an image of disbelief frozen on her face. This only made the black-haired girl chuckle more and smack Cuddles shoulder.

Cuddles' knees nearly buckled beneath her, but Ninja kept a firm hold on her shoulder to keep her upright. Cuddles didn't even notice the same wide grin on Ninja's face had appeared on her own. When she did, Cuddles wiped the smile from her mouth and brushed Ninja's hand aside. Ninja paid no mind and said, "That could have gone South."

"But it didn't," defended Cuddles without a second thought. It had definitely gone south. It went so south, it almost went north. "I had it all under control."

Sharp needles pricked her shoulder and Cuddles turned to look at the disgruntled grey and orange cat on her shoulder. Like a patchwork quilt, Scone's orange and ash fur overlapped revealing patches of tabby over her back. Cantaloupe eyes stared back into Cuddles' bright blue ones, reprimanding her.

Cuddles sighed before turning back to Ninja. "Thanks for caring, I guess." Scone's tail flicked the back of her head. "I'm not sorry for how we, no, I greeted you before." Cuddles frowned then added, "But, I think Scone and Belle would like a chance to express their opinions about your... offer."

A cold, delicate hand grasped Cuddles' arm, and a soaked body pressed up against her. Even without looking, Cuddles knew it was Belle. She could practically feel Belle's eyes glimmering up at her.

Behind her, Marshmallow, who Cuddles had almost forgotten about, responded in Ninja's stead. "The rain is getting worse, and another storm will pass through soon." As if to verify her words, a rumble of thunder echoed in the distance opposite of where the previous storm had drifted.

They expected Marshmallow to keep speaking, but after a few seconds, Ninja finished for her. "We should find shelter."

"Where? We can't go back to Black Tiger's territory. Heck, we need to get as far away from here as we can," said Cuddles, raising her voice as the rain began pounding harder, obscuring her vision. She felt Scone crouch on her shoulder, leaning into Cuddles either for warmth or balance.

"I know of a place," said Ninja. "But from the sounds of it, you might not be too happy."

"Home?" guessed Belle in a soft voice that chimed through the rain. Cuddles didn't dare turn toward her silver-haired sister lest Belle'd see the deep scowl decorating her features.

Upon seeing Cuddles open her mouth to oppose the idea, Ninja shrugged and said, "Or we can go grab a cup of coffee somewhere. Just thought it would be best to include the others in this decision even if it's your choice."

Cuddles held her breath to refrain from speaking. Not seeing her family was the only thing growing her resentment and keeping her from going back. If they met, Cuddles would no longer have a choice. Of course, she'd stay. She couldn't bear losing them again.

Scone's tail stopped flicking along Cuddles' back, and Belle's fingers tightened around Cuddles' arm. Cuddles may still have had a choice, but her siblings had already decided.

Anger rushed in place of the earlier relief. At what? She didn't know. Certainly not her siblings. They weren't to blame for anything, and even if they were, Cuddles wouldn't get that upset. At least not angry upset. Although it had no apparent cause, the anger wanted out. She wanted to direct it at Marshmallow or Ninja- yell at them or curse them until they apologized, but for what? Because they gave her the choice, or because they made it impossible to say no?

Cuddles huffed, and some of the irrational anger dispersed. She looked away and growled, "Fine. Whatever you want. It's not like we have anything better to do."

***

For a moment, Marshmallow considered pinching herself to see if she were in a dream. A fantastical, unrealistic dream with everything she wanted: Ninja, to be a superhero, her cousins, her siblings. Well, at least most of her siblings.

Raindrops slithered down the bus windows, but they stopped pouring from the cloudy sky a few minutes ago. Soft rays of sunlight were beginning to peek through cracks in the clouds, reflecting off dewdrops on the vibrant trees and flowers. Although small, compared to the dingy back alleys of Goldton, Suntown City looked like a paradise. Narrow sidewalks with only a dog walker or two, yards and gardens at every little house, flags or signs with random colors or quotes on every porch, and only a few cars were out that time of day.

The bus came to a screeching halt at the visitor's center, and they all stepped, or in Ninja's case, hopped, out onto the sidewalk. Marshmallow relished the quieter atmosphere. She'd never imagined a place having so many people as Goldton, and she never wanted to go back.

Their original destination, their house, was another ten minutes of driving time away, but Ninja had contacted Brownie to grab the rest of their siblings, besides Squmpkin, and head to a meet-up spot halfway in between. Earlier, Cuddles had taken back her statement, "Whatever you want," after realizing how one could abuse it and clarified that she'd prefer to take Ninja up on her coffee offer rather than go to the house.

Ninja sent Marshmallow a grin and looked toward their cousins who were searching for familiar faces in the parking lot. Brownie hadn't yet arrived with the rest of the family, but it was only a matter of minutes. Anticipation thrummed between them almost strong enough to touch.

Belle's fingers had been laced around Cuddle's arm the entire thirty-minute trip, but the black-haired girl paid her no mind. Neither scorning nor reassuring her sister. Marshmallow could tell a million thoughts were running rampant through her mind. Their parents, like Marshmallow's own, disappeared. Their new family was stolen in the blink of an eye. The gang rejected them, and the life they had adapted to Marshmallow and Ninja forcefully dragged them out of. How could Marshmallow go convincing her this time would be any different? The very one who left her own family behind to chase a dream.

A cheery voice broke Marshmallow out of her downward spiral. "There they are!" Quick footsteps approached, and a girl, hazelnut hair gliding behind her like a cape, raced toward them, arms stuck between moving with her steps or opening wide for a hug. Two semi-humans in human form jogged to catch up to the girl: Brownie, with a black bag swung over her shoulder, and Rocky with a wide smile similar to the one adorning Ninja's features.

Smores threw herself into her cousins, enveloping them in a bear hug with her spindly arms. With an obvious effort written on her face to not push her cousin away, Cuddles patted the older girl's back softly and greeted through gritted teeth, "Long time no see."

Smores hopped back beaming. She jumped on her tippy-toes, hands clenched with excitement. "It's been so long! I can't believe you're back!"

"Me neither," replied Cuddles honestly. Belle hid behind Cuddles and clang to her sister like her life depended on it, but when she shifted to the side to see past Cuddles' arm at Brownie and Rocky, a soft smile graced her lips.

Next came Rocky. He spread his arms out similar to Smores and boomed unnecessarily loud, "Welcome back! I'm so happy to see you again!"

His arms wrapped snuggly -much snugger than Smores had- around the three. Scone returned the hug with a quiet chuckle. Belle, still hiding behind her sister, couldn't contain her smile from being hugged by the teddy bear of the family. Cuddles, on the other hand, stood tense as a board, unimpressed by the show of affection. Brownie and Ninja shared an amused look and refrained from making any cuddle comments.

"Yeah, we're happy to," said Cuddles, although she sounded anything but happy. Either Belle dug her nails into Cuddles' arm, Scone kicked her, or both because Cuddles flinched and quickly added, "Very happy."

Rocky reluctantly released them and stepped away for Brownie. "You've gotten taller," said Brownie, patting Cuddles' shoulder despite the temptation to tick her off further with a hug. "And stronger."

Pleased by the compliment, Cuddles dropped her tense shoulders, put her hands on her hips, and smirked. She opened her mouth to say something, but Brownie warned, "Don't let it get to your head."

Cuddles' smirk fell, and she seemed to deflate, her mouth twisting to retort. Before she could, Smores spun on her toes and chirped, "Guys! Don't you see what this means? The whole family's back together!"

"Yep," replied Ninja, draping her arm over Smores' shoulder so the girl wouldn't turn into a spinning top. "Now we can be a normal family and do normal family stuff. Like, I don't know, gossiping about the neighbors?"

"What about this family gives you the impression of 'normal'?" asked Brownie, shoving Ninja over to stand between her and Smores.

Ninja wrapped her arm around Brownie instead and her other around Marshmallow who really hadn't wanted to get dragged into the huddle. With a lopsided grin, Ninja replied, "Do you seriously think I even know what 'normal' is?"

"I had hope." Brownie made a show of looking Ninja up and down. "Not sure where that hope came from."

Cuddles rolled her eyes at the course of the conversation. "That's great," she said. "But where are Emsea and Squmpkin? Shouldn't they be a part of this?"

The atmosphere dropped like a glass dish, their smiles shattering on the concrete sidewalk. Marshmallow didn't bother looking at the others. She knew they were all sharing looks of concern and silently asking who would explain.

Marshmallow assumed it would be her, but Ninja squeezed her shoulder to stop her. Marshmallow turned to question Ninja just as Brownie said, "Emsea's back at home taking care of Squmpin. Squmpkin hasn't been doing well recently."

"What do you mean, 'hasn't been doing well'?" asked Cuddles suspiciously, sensing their tense behavior. Marshmallow couldn't tell if the look in her eyes was anger or worry- probably a little of both.

"Squmpkin hasn't been the same since everything happened," replied Brownie, her eyes connecting with Cuddles' despite the others' falling to the ground. "She's sick and upset. Mostly upset."

Grief and possibly guilt struck the three siblings. Cuddles searched Brownie and the others, looking for any possibility it was a joke. Belle hid behind Cuddles, and Scone looked away. The grey-haired girl spoke for the first time in a whisper, "Because of us."

------------------

Hey guys!

So glad you're still reading. This chapter was fun to write- the cousins are a few of my favorite characters. In fact, Ninja and Scone are my favorites... probably. There are so many to chose from and more to come.

I know I asked this a while back. At least, I think I asked this a while back. But, now that we have more of them, what do you think about Marshmallow and Ninja's family? Who is your favorite family member?

Also, if there's anything you'd like to see in the story, don't be afraid to comment. I do have an outline, but there's always room for changes. And, quite frankly, if I get anyone who reads this far besides my brother, it will probably be too late for the first book XD

See ya later~